The mission is to foster a devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ of great power and purity. The Mission Statement is discussed more completely here: Mission Statement.
The intents and purposes of God's eternal plan are that the Lord Jesus Christ have the preeminence in all things (Colossians 1:18). These studies seek to promote this.
As for a statement of faith, it is a very difficult thing. The question is always, “Is it comprehensive enough? Did everything get covered?”.
I am Protestant, and I agree whole heartedly with the Nicene Creed, but unquestionably differ with Catholics about what “one catholic holy and apostolic Church” means. I would say that true apostolic succession is passed on by faith in the Scriptures. I point to John 17:20 to illustrate this,
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word … (John 17:20)
I prefer to agree with Scriptures in this matter of making a statement of faith. Of Jesus, the Apostle John said,
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)
And in his first epistle, John said this,
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1-3)
In the Gospels there are several confessions of faith, the best known may be Peter's in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, here from Mark's,
And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. (Mark 8:29)
And the parallel passage from Matthew's, Gospel
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16)
Peter made another confession recorded in the Gospel of John, Chapter Six. Jesus' teaching was found offensive by many disciples, He asked the twelve, “Will ye also go away?” (John 6:67). Peter's answer is recorded,
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. (John 6:68-69)
Another confession of faith was made by Martha, the sister of Lazarus. It's found in John Chapter Eleven. Prior to raising Lazarus from the dead Jesus is talking to Martha,
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. (John 11:20-27)
I answer with Martha, “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”.
There is Paul's statement that can be called the “Mystery of Godliness”.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)
As far as Scriptures are concerned,
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
And whence faith? From the Scriptures. Paul discusses salvation in Romans Chapter Ten. he declares,
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)
Paul concludes his line of reasoning by answering how one can have the faith to call upon the name of the Lord,
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
Paul brings together the “mystery of godliness”, the confession that Jesus is the Christ—the Son of the Living God, the belief that God has raised Him from the death, the reliance upon the Scriptures as as the revelation of God which is the source of faith , the acknowledgement that I (me, you, we, all of us) am a sinner needing salvation, and the faith that Jesus died upon the cross for my sin all together into a summary of the Gospel that he preached,
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
As was said, a problem with any statement of faith is being caught between not saying enough and trying to say it all. To all the Scriptures above, I say Amen. I also think the study will itself be a comprehensive statement of faith.
©FH 2012